Compact cushions of this tiny lichen were noted on 20th December amongst mosses in sandy soil on the top of a roadside wall at Clashnessie (NC0530). The cup-shaped apothecia are just over 1mm in diameter and arise from a dark greeny-brown, wrinkled, papery thallus with frilly edges. This species likes calcareous substrates (probably shell sand in this case) and has been recorded elsewhere in Assynt, especially on the limestone.
The photosynthetic partner of jelly lichens is the cyanobacterium Nostoc, which sometimes forms extensive, brown, lettuce-like (and slippery) colonies locally on little-used, gravelly surfaces. A nice find in a brief gap between showers of sleet and hail.
Ian M.Evans
Jelly lichen Leptogium gelatinosum under microscope. Photo I. EvansJelly lichen Leptogium gelatinosum sample 30x24mm. Photo D. Haines
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Recent Sightings
Adder
single female sunning herself on Little Assynt All-Abilities Path (DAH) (01/07)
Common Blue damselfly
20+ along one stretch of Little Assynt All-Abilities Path (DAH) (01/07)
Common Darter dragonfly
6+ along one stretch of Little Assynt All-Abilities Path (DAH) (01/07)
Common Dolphin
16+ animals off Raffin (DAH/Charlotte Newell) (29/06)
Arctic Skua
two pale morph birds off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH) (29/06)
Black-throated Diver
single adult bird, Loch na Bruthaich (DAH). This is a non-breeding loch for this species so it will have flown here from its breeding loch for a bit of RnR! (29/06)
Six-Spot Burnett moth
two in old quarry near Little Assynt (Cheryl Smith) (28/06)
